If you're stranded in the open ocean without a life jacket, and a ship comes by to pick you up, what do you do if you discover that one of the passengers is an escaped convict? Well, I suppose the answer would be dependent on your understanding of the situation. If there were plenty of other ships nearby, you might decide to wait a bit for something a little safer. If, on the other hand, you knew that this was the only ship in the ocean, then you would not be willing to wait. Challenges aside, getting saved is getting saved.
Right now, I find it remarkable that with all of the difficulties going on, that there is anyone who wants to join the Catholic Church, but there is. I already have people in catechism classes at two of my three parishes right now, and I just got another call today from someone asking about how to join. I know that the vast majority of people know about all the scandals, but apparently that has not changed their minds. It is not like I do not want them to convert, but I have to ask "Why?"
It makes me think about how the early Church grew. When things were lax and easy, the Church might gain some people (who frequently had weak commitments), but it was not often that there was significant growth during those times. It was the times when the Church was most heavily persecuted that she grew--and often exponentially! As has been said so often: the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.
Nineteen hundred years ago the Church was being persecuted from the outside, and many still wanted to join. Today there are various attacks coming from the world, but the worst persecution is coming from inside the Church, and still many are wanting to join. It is in these times of difficulty that people's hearts are most heavily burdened, and it is those very burdens which we feel that make people want to be right with God.
How we react to the current crisis is being viewed by the whole world, whether we know it or not, and it impacts their view of the Church. I have often told young men and women who are considering getting married, "watch how your potential spouse acts in times of crisis and decide whether that is the person you want at your side when you experience a crisis". Those outside the Catholic Church may not realize it, but that is what is going on right now.
These may (or may not) be the days that usher in the end of the world, but they are definitely the days that usher in our thoughts about the ends of our lives. "How is this going to turn out?" "Can I do something about this?" "Where do I stand in all this?" These are the questions people ask. When they look at the Church in times of trial, and see people in fear--or worse, people becoming angry and hateful--they are not drawn to the beauties of the Catholic faith.
If, however, they see people who say, "we trust Jesus to get us through this" and "just because others were unfaithful does not mean we need to be", it draws people to want to stand with that kind of spirit. Most especially, when they see people performing acts of penance and reparation for the sins of their fellow Catholics, they see a community that cares enough about one another to sacrifice for each other; regardless of how rough things may seem.
Think of how a visitor to Catholic parish feels if he hears a priest belittle his parishioners in a homily for saying they were worried about sinful bishops (as I was recently told happened in a Catholic parish somewhere in America). Does that make anyone want to convert and join? When the kids are afraid of a storm, Dad should never scold them for being afraid--he is supposed to give them courage to endure! Whether or not your priest is encouraging hope and holiness, how are you expressing your faith these days? Which do people see more -- hope in Christ, or fear of the devil? It can be the difference between salvation and damnation for someone you meet.
